Brick arch repairs in Poole

Postcodes: BH14, BH15, BH17
Population: about 150,000
Area: Dorset
Pricing region: South West

What is the ground like in Dorset?

Poole is in Dorset and takes in postcode districts BH14, BH15, BH17. About 150,000 people live there. We also take enquiries from nearby Bournemouth (5 miles), Wimborne Minster (5 miles) and Ferndown (7 miles).

Parts of Dorset have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Dorset: Stone and brick villages, Victorian villas in Bournemouth, and inter-war and post-war semis.

From first photo to finished repair

Look at the arch closely
Straight-on photos of the arch and the wall either side show us how far it has dropped, whether the bricks are sound and whether the cause seems to be the arch itself or the wall around it.
Choose reinforce or rebuild
We recommend reinforcement where the arch is sound and only slightly displaced, and a rebuild where it has dropped badly or bricks are loose. If the wall beside the opening is moving, that is dealt with first.
Repair the arch
Bars are bonded into the joints above a sound arch, or the arch is taken down and relaid over the former using the original bricks where possible, with matched replacements for any that are damaged.

Symptoms that point to brick arch repairs

Mortar falling out of the arch joints after frosty weather
A vertical crack running up from the middle of the arch
A flat arch that has started to sag into a shallow curve

Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Poole

These are guide prices for Poole, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.

Guide prices inc VAT on South West rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
Item	Guide price	Per
Stitching and reinforcing a sound archest.	£410 – £1,250	per arch
Rebuilding an arch (one side)	£925 – £1,350	per opening
Rebuilding an arch (both sides)	£1,850 – £2,700	per opening

Methods for brick arch repairs

Lime mortar repairs

On older houses built in soft brick and lime, the arch is rebuilt or repointed in a lime mortar matched to the original. Lime lets moisture escape and moves slightly with the wall, so it protects the bricks rather than forcing damage into them, as hard cement mortar can.

Best for: Pre-1919 houses and soft historic brick

Rebuilding over a former

A timber former is cut to the arch profile and propped under the opening. The old arch is carefully taken down, bricks cleaned for reuse, and the arch rebuilt over the former with tight joints and a properly set keystone. The former stays until the mortar is strong enough to carry the load.

Best for: Badly dropped arches or ones with loose voussoirs

Rules for brick arch repairs in England

Like-for-like repairs such as crack stitching and repointing do not usually need building control approval in England, but anything that changes or strengthens the structure, such as underpinning or rebuilding a wall, does. If the work touches a party wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I budget for brick arch repairs in Poole?

Guide prices for brick arch repairs in Poole start from about £410 per arch, including VAT, on South West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.

Can you survey a property in Poole?

Yes, Poole is covered, along with postcode districts BH14, BH15, BH17. We also cover nearby Bournemouth and Wimborne Minster.

Why do houses in Dorset crack?

Dorset mixes chalk downs, Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays in the vales, and the sands and gravels of the Poole basin. Clay vales can shrink and swell, and parts of the coast are known for landslip. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.

What is a former in arch building?

A former, sometimes called a centre, is a temporary timber frame cut to the exact shape of the arch. It supports the bricks while the arch is laid and the mortar cures, and is removed once the arch can carry itself.

Can you match the original bricks?

Usually, because most arches are rebuilt with their own cleaned bricks, which is the best match of all. Damaged bricks are replaced with reclaimed or new bricks chosen for size, colour and texture, and the mortar is matched to the surrounding joints.

Related work in Poole

Brick arch repairs near Poole

Have several dropped arches along one Poole elevation? We can price them together and suggest the order that makes sense.